Photography in Public is Not a Crime

There's been a lot of hassle in recent months, perhaps more
than any time since September 11, 2001 about the photography of public
places.Amateur and professional
photographers alike are getting flack from security guards, the police and even
the Coast Guard.The good news is that
there's nothing illegal about it.

According to Bert Krages, a lawyer specializing in
photography cases, "The general rule is that if something is in a public
place, you're entitled to photograph it."This applies to government buildings and police themselves as well, even
if law enforcement officers may not know it."The Patriot Act does not restrict photography," says Krages,
"neither does the Homeland Security Act."

In fact, according to Glenn Harlan Reynolds of Popular
Mechanics the presence of cameras actually increases security.Police used their own footage while looking
for clues in the Times Square car bomb incident, but brought in movies and
photos shot by tourists as well.

Krages says that the best thing you can do when stopped from
shooting by a security guard or police officer is to be very polite and ask
what authority they have to stop you.If
you're on public property, they don't have any.If they won't budge, stay polite and ask to speak to a superior.